Standard OU Team

[Reed]

Although I've been keeping up with the metagame, it's been a long time since I've had a battle, so I decided to put together a new team. Nothing special, but I was hoping for some feedback.

Dugtrio @ Focus Sash
Ability: Arena Trap
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
- Earthquake
- Night Slash / Sucker Punch
- Toxic
- Stealth Rock

Designed to keep the top leads in check. Earthquake covers Metagross, Jirachi and Tyranitar. Night Slash covers Azelf, though Sucker Punch can do the same job with a bit of prediction, and it can possibly finish off faster targets that Earthquake fails to OHKO (I'm thinking Metagross with Bullet Punch). Toxic is mostly for Swampert. I can't do much to Bronzong, but I can at least use Stealth Rock at the same time and then switch out. I'm also a bit concerned about Infernape. Fake Out will break my Sash, and Infernape's own Sash will save it from Earthquake while it KOs me. Sucker Punch might remedy this.

Porygon2 @ Leftovers
Ability: Trace
Nature: Bold
EVs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 40 SpA
- Thunderbolt / Discharge
- Ice Beam
- Recover
- Thunder Wave / Toxic

Pretty standard set to counter Gyarados, Salamence and Heatran. Heatran has always been a thorn in my side, so Tracing Flash Fire is quite satisfying. The set more or less speaks for itself, but Thunder Wave stops Dragon Dance sweeps, Recover keeps P2 going, and BoltBeam handles the aforementioned threats. I would also consider switching Thunderbolt for Discharge and Thunder Wave for Toxic, but I don't think that it's optimal. Discharge can handle attacking and spreading paralysis, but in case Porygon is in danger of fainting, I'll want to get the sweeper paralyzed, so Thunder Wave is more reliable. I also don't see much reason to use Toxic on both Porygon and Dugtrio, and it's more important to Dugtrio's set than it would be to Porygon's.

Latias @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Modest
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
- Calm Mind
- Dragon Pulse
- Surf
- Recover

I've always liked Calm Mind sets. This one is taken straight from Smogon because I don't have much experience with Latias, but I'm looking forward to trying it out now that it's OU. Modest over Timid for the extra power and because I can Recover off damage later. I intend to use Latias as a late-game sweeper, but the earlier that it's revealed, the better, because it has another use that I'll get into in a moment.

Salamence @ Yache Berry
Ability: Intimidate
Nature: Naughty
EVs: 232 Atk / 24 SpA / 252 Spe
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage
- Brick Break
- Flamethrower

Salamence's main purpose is to remove the opponent's Scizor and Tyranitar to make life easier for Latias. I switch Latias in on something that can't hurt it and then immediately switch to Salamence. Hopefully, the opponent will expect Latias to use Calm Mind and will switch to the appropriate counter. If it's Tyranitar, Brick Break. If it's Scizor, Flamethrower, which I'm choosing over Fire Blast for the accuracy and because it will KO Scizor just as easily. Earthquake isn't present because...well, why would Heatran switch in on Latias? If it decides to take on Salamence, the Yache Berry will allow me to Dragon Dance and then hit it with Brick Break. Once I'm certain that Latias's counters are gone, Salamence is free to Outrage until it goes down in a blaze of glory.

Metagross @ Choice Band
Ability: Clear Body
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 252 HP / 244 Atk / 12 Def
- Meteor Mash
- Earthquake
- Ice Punch
- Explosion

With two dragons on my team, I need someone who can take both Ice and Dragon-type attacks. Metagross does the job nicely. Meteor Mash and Earthquake are practically required by law on most Metagross sets, but Earthquake is even more important here because Dugtrio is the only other member of my team who has it. Ice Punch covers enemy dragons, Zapdos and Gliscor, and Explosion is just impossible to pass up.

Spiritomb @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Calm
EVs: 232 HP / 96 Def / 24 SpA / 156 SpD
- Ominous Wind
- Hidden Power Fighting
- Rest
- Sleep Talk

I debated and second guessed this one for a long time, and I'm still not convinced that I made the best choice. I felt like I needed some more defense, but I was wary of adding weaknesses to Dark, Fighting or Fire, which ruled out a lot of my choices. Spiritomb is immune to one and neutral to the others, which makes it a good Pokémon to fall back on. It also provides me with a status absorber, something that this team sorely needs. Ominous Wind may seem like an odd choice, but on a long-lasting Rest/Sleep Talk set, it's sure to set off some alarms. If the opponent starts to panic, a well-timed switch can turn the tide.

 

[DCM]

Just quickly looking, its Yanmega weak (particulary your lead [Speed Boost Yanmega]).

 

[Wiilio]

Actually, Spiritomb can handle Yanmega quite well. Specially bulky and has Sleep Talk for Hypnosis users. Depending on what Hidden Power Yanmega has, Metagross (If HP Ice) and Salamence (HP Ground/Fighting) can handle it as well. Porygon2 would DEFINITELY be interesting because you'd Trace Speed Boost.

I'll do a big rate sometime in the near future.

 

[The Outrage]

Porygon2 would DEFINITELY be interesting because you'd Trace Speed Boost.

You could also always lead with Porygon2 and use Magic Coat on the last slot if you find you are having that much trouble against Yanmegas sleeping you on the first turn. It also works for other status inducers.

A user named Blue Ace made that set for that very same purpose, and it actually manages to single handedly kill a baton pass team.

 

[Reed]

Perhaps it's just the luck of the draw, but I rarely see Yanmega. If I do, they always Protect on the first turn, giving Dugtrio a free Stealth Rock, and then I can switch to Spiritomb to take the sleep. I'm not so concerned about it that I would make Porygon2 my lead (though that is an interesting idea to counter status leads), and Wiil covered the Pokémon that I can fall back on if Yanmega really gives me trouble.

 

[Reed]

Hate to double-post, but I thought that I should report on how well this team is doing.

To summarize quickly, I have major problems with Zapdos, Togekiss, Swampert and Scizor. If Salamence isn't at full health, it can't take Scizor. I was expecting mostly Choice Band Scizor, but almost every one that I've seen has been Swords Dance. Suicune and Cresselia give me trouble, too.

Lead Dugtrio has not been great. There are times when it does well, but it isn't phenomenal. With Sucker Punch, Azelf kept getting the best of me, so I switched it out for Night Slash. I can't say how well that's been doing because out of simple bad luck, I only ran into one Azelf after that. Its Earthquake isn't very strong, so it isn't reliable in setting up Stealth Rock before it dies.

Porygon2 has been adequate. I think that it's due to other weaknesses in my team, but I tend to fall back on it when I run into a Pokémon that I have difficulty with, and then I normally get out-stalled. It counters Gyarados well, but I need to switch in on Heatran's Fire Blast to do anything to it, and Salamence gets the best of me about half of the time. Thunder Wave hasn't been doing very much good. In fact, some Pokémon outrun me even when paralyzed.

I think that when I realized how well Salamence covers Latias's weaknesses, I was a little too keen on using them together without considering what Latias can actually do for me. She just doesn't bring much to the team. Late-game has quite often come down to Metagross and hoping that I can finish the battle with one move. This might just be bad prediction on my part because late-game, I keep running into Pokémon that Latias can't take on.

I pulled off the Salamence/Latias combo all of one time and took down a Tyranitar. That was satisfying. Beyond that, Salamence performs well. My biggest problem is letting my opponent set up. Once Scizor gets a Swords Dance or any Dragon-type gets a Dragon Dance, I have nothing to stop them, so it tends to fall on Salamence and a delusional hope that it can survive one attack.

Metagross has saved me from many a dragon, and Explosion is my only weapon against Suicune and Zapdos. Most people try to take it down with Earthquake, but if it's above 80% health, it will survive and they'll lose their Salamence. Sometimes, more speed is desirable, but that should fall on other Pokémon. Metagross generally does its job well.

Spiritomb needs to go. It lacks the power to do anything but absorb status and occasionally stall out the opponent. A couple of times, I have gotten boosts from Ominous Wind, even twice in one match that caused my opponent to give up. It's nice to have a Ghost-type to switch to when I know that there's an Explosion or Close Combat coming, but once Spiritomb is in, it can't do anything back.

Overall, the team relies heavily on prediction. If I'm not at the top of my game, I get creamed. That's not so bad because it forces me to think pretty carefully about what I'm doing, but the right Pokémon just tear me apart regardless.